The Walking Dead Will Resurrect Jon Bernthal In Season 9 - Report

What could be a massive plot twist on the upcoming season of The Walking Dead might have just been spoiled by Instagram. It looks like Jon Bernthal, an alum of the show who was killed off in Season 2, is making his grand return to the series.

According to TV Line, Bernthal will reprise his role as Shane in one upcoming Season 9 episode--after all, he can't stay long due to Bernthal's status as the lead of Marvel's The Punisher. If you're wondering how that's possible, given the fact that Shane is very dead, one need look no further than Season 3. During the eighth episode of that season, Rick hallucinates that Shane has returned.

Given that several outlets have confirmed the upcoming season to be Andrew Lincoln's (Rick) last, one last vision of Shane to bring the character's story to a close makes sense. How substantial Bernthal's appearance will be, though, remains to be seen. It should be noted that AMC has yet to comment on Lincoln's status.

The actor's return to the series was first rumored after Bernthal was spotted with Lincoln and co-star Norman Reedus in a photo taken by a fan and posted on Instagram. Thus far, AMC's lips are sealed about Shane's grand return.

Whatever the case, Season 9 should prove to be a rather interesting one for The Walking Dead, as Rick might not be the only character making his last stand. Lauren Cohan, who plays Maggie, will appear in a reduced number of episodes next season as she focuses on her new series Whiskey Cavalier, which premieres on ABC this fall. With both potential departures, it's been reported that AMC is looking to make Norman Reedus (Daryl) the new lead of the series.

While an official return for The Walking Dead has not been announced, the show is expected to return in the fall. Before it premieres, however, the second half of Fear the Walking Dead Season 4 will air.